UTC men’s basketball manager Brett Stuart joins the team during a time out during their recent game against Hiwassee College.Hearing somebody shout “Build a wall!” at a University of Tennessee at Chattanooga basketball game, usually coach John Shulman, is almost as common as hearing “Rocky Top” at a Tennessee Volunteers game.
Building a wall is part of the Shulman’s defensive philosophy and his lingo. Players hear the phrase every day.
But his Mocs have not been doing it well enough to win in their last three games, all Southern Conference road losses.
UTC (9-12, 3-5) allowed 81 points at Samford on Jan. 14, 81 at UNC Greensboro on Thursday and 88 at Elon two nights ago and now is in fifth place in the SoCon North Division.
“I need the Patriots to lose today to fulfill my theory,” Shulman said before UTC practice and the AFC championship game Sunday. “The best pitching in baseball wins; the best defense in basketball wins; the best defense in football wins. Defense wins championships.